Japanese Train Chimes

Japanese train stations each have their own departure melody, a short jingle that plays when the doors are about to close, and every station sounds different from the next. Melodies are composed to be pleasant enough that you don't mind hearing them 4 times a day but distinct enough that regular commuters can identify their stop by sound alone before the announcement. It's a clever system because it replaces the harsh buzzer that most transit authorities use with something that actually calms people down during the rush. My favorite is the one at Takadanobaba station in Tokyo, which plays the Astro Boy theme because the creator's studio was nearby. Sounds turn a commute into something almost musical, and I noticed people bobbing their heads slightly as their station's melody played.